Taxis

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the means by which(a) black cab drivers and (b) private hire taxi drivers can prevent passengers from smoking in their vehicles; [124827]

(2) if he will bring forward legislation to enable taxi drivers to enforce a no smoking policy on passengers in their vehicles; [124829]

(3) what research he has commissioned into the health impact on taxi drivers of secondary smoke inhalation from passengers who smoke in their vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [124828]

We consulted nationally on smoking in taxis in 1999–2000. In March 2001, we announced that while we recognised the merits of banning smoking in taxis, we did not consider that the case was sufficiently strong to make a commitment to legislate when parliamentary time permitted. This was because we were satisfied that the present voluntary approach whereby taxi or private hire vehicle drivers have the choice of asking passengers not to smoke for the most part worked satisfactorily.